BOE proposes 2019-20 calendar, endorses phone-free school zone ordinance

The Homewood Board of Education will vote on the proposed calendar for the 2019-2020 school year at its April meeting. Between now and then, they will be seeking opinions from teachers and parents to guide their decision.

At the board's meeting on March 20 at Edgewood Elementary, the board discussed the following calendar for 2019-2020:

The school year would start on Aug. 12, with the Thanksgiving break on Nov. 25-29, winter break on Dec. 23-Jan. 3 and spring break on March 23-27. Graduation would be held May 18, with the last day for students on May 21.

Other dates to note on this proposed calendar include early release days on Dec. 20 and May 1, parent conferences on Oct. 18, an inclement weather day on April 10 and summer school June 1-26.

The next board meeting will be April 18 at 1 p.m. at Homewood High School.

Also this afternoon, the board voiced its support for an ordinance under consideration by the Homewood City Council, which would ban use of cell phones by drivers in school zones. The only exception would be drivers in parked cars or emergency situations. The City Council will vote on the ordinance at an upcoming meeting.

While they thanked the Homewood City Schools Foundation for its recent awarding of more than $52,000 in grants to teachers, the board also got to experience one of last year's grants in action. The school system purchased Google Expeditions viewing glasses for virtual tours of famous landmarks, which have been used at all five schools. As board members tried on the glasses to view the Washington Monument and Grand Canyon, Edgewood students talked about their experiences with Google Expeditions in the classroom.

Finally, Homewood Child Nutrition Program Director Erin Chelewski spoke to the board briefly about a recent stroke of good fortune for one of her employees. Chelewski said one of the school system's vendors, Ken Cammack, had contacted her asking about employees who had children with disabilities. When Chelewski shared the name of Cathaleen Webb, who cares for her granddaughter, a Homewood High student who uses a wheelchair, Cammack then donated a wheelchair-accessible van for her use.

Chelewski said the school and Cammack surprised Webb with the van on Friday, March 16, and she said there were plenty of tears all around.

“This employee is such a blessing to our community and our district, and it couldn’t have happened for a better person,” Chelewski said. “She’s a selfless, tireless woman and I’ve always admired her.”